NETWORK TEN: BRING BOB BACK

Credits & Description:

Category: Best Use of Social Media Marketing

Advertiser: NETWORK TEN

Product/Service: HAWKE PROGRAMME LAUNCH

Date of First Appearance: Jun 13 2010

Entrant Company: STARCOM, Millers Point, AUSTRALIA

Strategy Director: Emma Montgomery (Starcom)

Agency Director: Sue Kallas (Starcom)

Client Business Manager: Martin Newman (Starcom)

Senior Investor: Rob Ishag (Starcom)

Media placement: Ambient - Flyposters - 4th July

Media placement: Sampling - State of Origin sports event - 4th July

Media placement: Radio - Sydney 30'' ads - 13th June

Media placement: Press - Sydney newspaper advertising - 13th June

Media placement: Ambient - Fake election paraphernalia - badges, windscreen flyers etc. - 4th July

Media placement: Social - Facebook - 13th June



Insights, Strategy & the Idea

NETWORK TEN, Sydney’s youngest free-to-air commercial network, seemed to be taking a big risk. With just under half of its prime time audience under 35 years old, Network Ten’s programming is designed to appeal to a youthful audience, with reality series and sitcoms dominating its highest rating programs. Hawke, a movie-length political docu-drama, didn’t sound like their kind of show. Unless, of course, the star of the show was Bob Hawke. From 1983 to 1991, Bob Hawke held the most colourful—and popular—reigns of any Prime Minister in Australian history, setting the record for the highest approval rating ever. His tumultuous career was fun-loving and scandalous; the stuff great TV shows are made of. It was time to introduce their country’s most beloved political figure to a new generation. It was time to bring Bob back.



Creative Execution

NETWORK TEN created a movie-length political docu-drama about Bob Hawke, Australia’s 23rd Prime Minister and a renowned partier and ladies’ man. Rather than create typical tune-in messages, we put out stories about Bob Hawke, placing him in vivid counterpoint to the current politicians they knew and loathed. Political campaign-style posters emblazoned with Bob’s face and the slogan “Bring Bob Back” went up throughout Sydney. Promotional staff campaigned to “Bring Bob Back” on the streets and at key events. We ran newspaper and radio ads. A Facebook page and clips on YouTube highlighted provocative stories about Hawke’s time in office. And when the existing Prime Minister was suddenly overthrown by one of his own party members, we nimbly integrated Bob into mass publicity of the event with tactical ads playing up the similarities between current politics and the Hawke era.



Results and Effectiveness

Our goal for HAWKE was an average audience of 470,000.

474,000 tuned in. We aimed for the number 1 share of commercial viewers in its timeslot. HAWKE was number 1, achieving a considerable 53% three-station commercial share. Over 2100 people became Facebook fans of Bob, 1700 of whom signed up before the show’s launch. The retelling of Hawke's story prompted his newly recruited followers to want his legacy to be permanently enshrined, with the Facebook community post the show's airing championing his entry in the official annals as a National Treasure.